Introducing the X-Factor and Ultimate Bikini Bottoms

You sang that, right? I’m trying to keep it clean, but I like to laugh…so it’s a fine line.

I’m so happy it’s finally getting warm. (Don’t remind me of that when I’m complaining of the heat in August.) I love designing a new suit each summer, and I’m especially excited about this one!

The X-Factor Bikini and Tankini had a long pre-test run. I loved the back, but my first attempts at a front for it just didn’t meet my expectations. I was trying to do something a little funky and it repeatedly ended up looking like a tank top that didn’t fit right. :p

So, in the end, I went with a more traditional look for the front. You know–job in the front, party in the back. 😉 I fell in love with the final result. I love that, once again, I’ve created a suit that works for every stage of life. The X-Factor Bikini and Tankini can be made as a slim fit tankini, a gathered front tankini, a maternity tankini, and all of the options can be made nursing friendly!

As for the Ultimate Bikini Bottoms, I wanted the staple bikini bottoms option in the store, but I wanted to make sure it had a little 5oo4 flare. So, I made it reversible. 😀 I’ve always loved my Athleta bikini bottoms that were reversible. Andrea and I had quite a bit of trial and error before we figured out how to do it! The pattern has maternity, low, mid, and high rise options. In the end, I went with an A-line skirt option as well. I like having the skirt as a cover-up that I can take off when I get to the pool, but I knew that some women would be more comfortable with having the skirt attached to the bikini bottoms.

Take a look at all of the awesome combinations my testers came up with. I especially love the tied ruching on the sides of the maternity option. (I love it so much that I’m working on a tutorial for how to do that to the straight tankini too!)

We’re also celebrating 5000 members in our Facebook group! We’ve had a giveaway every day this week and we’re kicking off a sale in the store for the weekend. If you’ve made something from 5oo4, be sure to add it to the photo albums for each pattern in the Facebook group. I’ll be picking winners randomly this weekend. I like having photo albums for each pattern so people have sizes, styles, and fabric combinations to look through to help them decide what to do for their own. Use the code “CELEBRATE” for 20% off everything in the store!

Leave a comment below with your favorite option from the Ultimate Bikini Bottoms and X-Factor Bikini and Tankini! If you can guess who sang the original song that inspired the first line of this post, even better. I’ll pick a random winner tonight for a free pattern. 🙂

Leah

Caroline

I love clean and basic … so straight tankini. I’ve coveted Athleta suits from afar but would never be able to justify spending that much. 🙂 so… ready to try my hand at sewing my own swimwear. That’s been on my sewing “bucket list of skills” for a while.